Cooling system for internal combustion engines



June 30, 1931. w. E. RICHARD V COO LING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Sept. 1', 1928 'IIIIIIIIIIIk1 'IIIIII 'IIIIIIG I Patented June 30, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM EDWARD RICHARD, or nvarrsvrrmn, INDIANA. ASSIGNOB .IO sUNBEAM ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF :svANsvrLLE, INDIANA, A CORPORA- 'IION' OF INDIANA COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed September This invention relates to cooling systems for internal-combustion engines andhas particular relation to a novel means and method for automatically regulating the effect of cooling fluid that is circulated in fluid-cooled engines ofthe character specified.

The detrimental effects of operating internal-combustion engines at relatively lowtemperatures are well known. Some of the most important of these are decreased power, increased fuel consumption. and excessive dilution of the lubricating oil in the crank case of the engine. r

The usual practice in relation to fluid cooled enginesisto admit the cooling fluid near :the bottom of the jacket surrounding the cylinder or'cylinders of the engine, andito conduct-this fluid away from the jacket from a pointnearthe top of the same; Since the amount of cooling zfluid that is circulated through the engine must begre-at enough to cool theengine under the most adverse conditions, the engine normally operates at relatively low temperature. Regulating valves requiringthe' attention of anoperator and automatically operated thermostatic valves are sometimesused, but the provision of such means involves considerable expense and complication of the mechanism.

The present invention contemplates the provision of means whereby the cooling fluid is by-passed around the cylinder jacket without circulating therethrough until the cool ing fluid surrounding the cylinder becomes 1 heated and beginsto circulatewitha thermo siphon action. When this action is established asmaller quantity of the cooling? fluid is bypassed and a greater quantity is circu latedthrough the cylinder jacket. The proportion of the fluid that is circulatedthrough the cylinderjacket is automatically regulated, during all of thetime that the engine'is operating, to maintainthe engine at a substantiallyconstant operating temperature of any desired value. I l

The principal object of theinvention is to accomplish'the above indicated results by the utilization of a most simple and economical construction ofzthe engine and itsaccessories. Theinvention'willibe better understood by 1, was. Lerial m 303,457.

reference .to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a. fragmentary front elevational view showing a portion of an internal-combustion engine cylinder having a fitting embodying the present invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional viewof. a modified form of the invention, taken along a line corresponding to the line on which Fig. 2 is taken; and a Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, also taken along a line correspondingito that on which Fig. 2 is taken, and illustratinganother modification of the invention.

7 Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a portion of a cylinder 5 is shown with a cylinder head 6, mounted thereon, a cylinder head gasket 7 being interposed between these parts in the customary manner. For the sake of simplicity theusual boltsor similar means for securing the cylinder head to the cylinder,.as well as. the valve and ignition mechanism ofitheengine and otherlparts un-: related tot-he present invention, are omitted from the drawings.

The cylinder-5 comp-risesanouter jacket portion 8, which is normally cast'integrally with the cylinder, and which defines a suitable space or chamber: 9 for the circulation of cool ing fluid around the cylinder. The cylinder head6 similarly comprises a jacket portion 10 which defines a space or chamber 11 for the furthercirculation of coolingifluid. Suitable openings 12 inthe top of the chamber 9 register with corresponding openings 13 and let, which are respectively disposed in the bottom of chamber 11: and in thegasket'f. p

The jacketiportion 10 of the cylinder-head 6 is so shaped as to forman integral flange portion 15 to which a fittingmember 16 may be suitably secured, as by bolts or cap screws 17. A fluid-proof gasket 18 is preferably dis posed between the flange 15 and the fitting' member 16. The fitting 'inember 16' has 'a cavity 19 therein registeringwith an opening 20 thrOugh'the flange 15, whichopening 20 is a vertical sectional view taken communicates directly with the cooling-fluid chamber 11 in the cylinder head 6. A cooling-fluid supply conduit 21 is suitably connected to the bottom of the fitting member 16 and communicates directly with the cavity 19 in said member. A conduit 22 is similarly connected with the top portion of the fitting member 16 and likewise communicates directly with the cavity 19.

lVithin the cavity 19 in the fitting member 16, and extending inwardly from the front wall of said cavity, is a deflector or baflle 23, which is shown as being formed integrally with the member 16. It is contemplated, however, that this deflector or baflle may be separately formed, and, if desired, may be made movable with respect to the member 16 to permit an adjustment of its position to vary the effectiveness of the same according to the concept of the invention.

During the operation of the engine, cooling fluid is supplied through the conduit 21 by means of a pump (not shown) or any other suitable means. Until the temperature of the engine begins to rise this fluid will simply pass around the deflector or baffle 23 and will be conducted away by the conduit 22 without circulating through the chambers 9 and 11. The temperature of the stagnant cooling fluid within these chambers will, therefore, rise in a very short time. The increase in temperature of this fluid establishes a thermo-siphon action within the chambers 9 and 11 which results in a flow of the heated fluid toward the conduit 22 through which it is removed. Relatively cool fluid then passes from the conduit 21 into the chambers 9 and 11 to effect the required cooling of the engine.

The proportion of the total flow of cooling fluid that is circulated through the chambers 9 and 11 is thus automatically regulated in accordance with the temperature of the engine. A rise in this temperature effects an increase in the circulation of fluid through the cooling chambers, and a lowering of this temperature effects a decrease in the circulation. t will be apparent, therefore, that the actual operating temperature of the engine will be automatically maintained within very narrow limits, regardless of variations in load in the engine and regardless of the rate of supply of cooling fluid through the conduit 21. In actual operation it has also been found that variations in the temperature of the cooling fluid as it is supplied to the engine have substantially no effect upon the temperature of the engine itself.

Since the deflector or bafiie 28 directs the flow of cooling fluid from the conduit 21 toward the cooling chambers 9 and 1.1 during the time that the engine is operating and the above described thermo-siphon action is taking place, the size of this deflector or baflle determines the proportion of the total flow of cooling liquid that is circulated around the engine cylinder. The engine may be caused to operate at substantially any desired temperature by varying the size of this deflector or baflle. This variation in size may be effected by interchanging fitting members 16 having different sized deflectors or baflles therein, or by making the deflector or bafilc movable with respect to the fitting member 16, whereby its operating position may be changed by suitable adjusting means.

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the invention in which a fitting member 2a is secured to the flange member 15 of the cylinder head 6 in the same manner that the fitting member 16 is secured as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the form of invention shown in Fig. 3, the fluid supply conduit 21 enters the fitting member 24 horizontally, with a result that the cooling fluid is more directly conducted into the cooling chambers 9 and 11. The fluid outlet conduit 22 is disposed in the same relative position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this form of the invention it is not ordinarily necessary to utilize a deflector or baffle, such as that shown at 23 in Fig. 2, although it will be apparent that such a member could be provided if desired.

A still further modification of the invention is shown in Fig. 4;. This modification consists in providing an upwardly protrud- 9 ing portion 25 on the top of the cylinder head jacket 10. This upwardly protruding portion forms a cavity 26 above the center of the cooling chamber 11, into which cavity the fluid supply conduit 21 and the fluid outlet conduit 22 extend. The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as that of the forms shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention comprehends means that are extremely simple and economical in construction, whereby the operating temperature of an internal-combustion engine may be automatically maintained substantially at a predetermined value, regardless of all other variable factors. The advantages of utilizing such means will be apparent for numerous types of engines to any of which the invention may be applied.

While only certain specific modifications of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be readily understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fluid-cooled internal-combustion engine comprising a cylinder having a coolingfluid jacket, means for supplying cooling fluid to said jacket substantially at the top thereof, means connected with said jacket substantially at the top thereof and substantially in alignment with said fluid-supplying means for conducting said fluid away from said jacket, and a deflector or baffle disposed between said fluid-supplying means and said means for conducting the fluid away from the jacket.

2. An internal-combustion engine comprising parts to be cooled, chambers surrounding said parts, a fitting having a cavity therein, means for securing said fitting to the engine in such manner that said cavity is in com munication with said chambers, and fluidsupply means and fluid-outlet means communicating with said cavity in substantial alignment with each other.

3. An internal-combustion engine comprising parts to be cooled, chambers surrounding said parts, a fitting having a cavity therein, means for securing said fitting to the engine in such manner that said cavity is in communication with said chambers, fluidsupply means and fluid-outlet means communicating with said cavity, and a deflector or baflie between said fluid-supply means and said fluid-outlet means.

4:. An internal-combustion engine comprising parts to be cooled, chambers surrounding said parts, a fitting having a cavity therein,

means for securing said fitting to the engine in such manner that said cavity is in com munication with said chambers, fluid-supply means and fluid-outlet means communicating with said cavity in substantial alignment with each other, and a deflector or baifie between said fluid-supply means and said fluidoutlet means.

5. An internal-combustion engine comprising parts to be cooled, chambers surrounding said parts, a fitting having a cavity therein, means for securing said fitting to the engine in such manner that said cavity is in communication with said chambers, fluidsupply means and fluid-outlet means communicating with said cavity, and a deflector 0r baflie formed integrally with said fitting and disposed within said cavity between said fluid-supply means and said fluid-outlet means.

6. An internal-combustion engine comprising parts to be cooled, chambers surrounding said parts, a fitting having a cavity therein, means for securing said fitting to the engine in such manner that said cavity is in com munication with said chambers, fluid-supply means and fluid-outlet means communicating with said cavity in substantial alignment with each other, and a deflector or baflie formed integrally with said fitting and dis posed within said cavity between said fluidsupply means and said fluid-outlet means.

7 An internal-combustion engine comprising parts to be cooled, chambers surrounding said parts, a fitting having a cavity therein, means for securing said fitting to the engine WILLIAM EDWARD RICHARD. 

